A geografia de Alagoas, por Ivan Fernandes Lima, de 1965

Abstract

The Geografia de Alagoas (Geography of Alagoas) subject was introduced into the secondary syllabus as a result of determinations of the law of the Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional in 1961 which was followed by similar state-level legislation. This decision was influenced by the national political and socioeconomic context which aimed at the modernisation of the country. Teaching was reorganised in order for it to play an important function towards the instruction of the society. Many teachers got involved with the teaching of both local and regional geography and that showed the need for school books which covered the geographic aspects of the state of Alagoas. This study analyses the book Geografia de Alagoas published by Ivan Fernandes Lima in 1965, based on studies of the hystory of school disciplines. Methods included literature review, interviews, analysis of documents in various sources, collections of the public libraries of the municipality of Maceió-AL, and the private collection of Ivan Fernandes Lima. Results identify the social place from which it was spoken about professor Ivan Fernandes Lima which provided us with a base to outline the trajectory of his scholarly output as well as about his social relations. The intellectual production of this author started with the publication of articles in the Jornal de Alagoas (a daily newspaper) in the 1960s. These papers influenced the writing of the book Geografia de Alagoas which was used as a school book and a university reference in the state of Alagoas.